RoadVitals

2007 Mercedes-Benz C280 Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
56
Latest May 21, 2026
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
3
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
3
Reports on file since Jul 14, 2007

What this page shows

Our database holds 56 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2007 Mercedes-Benz C280. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–25 of 56 · page 1 of 3

Seat belts
Filed May 21, 2026
Crash reported

driver seat belt. seat belt did not lock during crash with airbag deployment. problem has not been confirmed. police observed the belt not locked in either extended or retracted position after collision. burn marks on belt would indicate belt was in use

NHTSA ID
11739294
Incident
May 21, 2026
Body & structure
Filed Dec 15, 2025

I have never been contacted about this recall either. This is the second complaint form I have filed. First one filed 12/28/2019.

NHTSA ID
11705231
Incident
Dec 15, 2025
Airbags
Filed Dec 15, 2025

My Mercedes has never been recalled for the Takata air bag recall and now I have a warning about the SRS, Supplemental Restraint System. What ever happened to vehicles having replacement air bags??

NHTSA ID
11705230
Incident
Dec 15, 2025
Steering
Filed Jul 2, 2025

June 2, 2025 To Mercedes Customer Service: Safety Issue. This weekend I experienced the most frightening encounter that I ever had in a car. As I was driving on a 4-lane bypass highway at 55MPH my car suddenly and erratically turned to the right almost sending me into the cement bridge guards (I was driving over a river bridge). As I tried to correct the car, it then veered sharply left sending me into the passing lane where other traffic needed to avoid hitting me. Then after the car was stabilized “ESP inoperable” light came on. I had nowhere to pull off on this particular highway and had to continue to drive until I got to an exit. Took to my dealership. Apparently cause is “broken subframe” Not knowing what that meant, I looked it up, only to find a longstanding problem in Mercedes vehicles. I feel fortunate to have avoided a serious accident/injuries. But I have to say I am disappointed in the Mercedes response to this issue and the recall which only focuses on particular years and models impacted by the issue. Subframes, meant to last the lifetime of the car, have been a recurring issue with Mercedes. Apparently the class action law suit covered cars 2010 to 2022 and so even though what happened to me (sudden severe and erratic swerving) is identical to that described in the class action findings and recalls, and my car is still within the 20 year timeframe for free repairs up until 2027, I do not qualify simply because my car is 2007. (~$3500 bill coming my way) I see no logical explanation as to why all cars experiencing a subframe corrosion and breakage would not be covered by the same recall regardless of the year of the car. How is that logical? (Car is still in repair shop. no invoice available yet.)

NHTSA ID
11670712
Incident
Jun 28, 2025
Brakes
Filed Mar 10, 2025

Grinding nose after I did the breaks. And when I press the gas it acts like the e brake is on on

NHTSA ID
11647466
Incident
Mar 9, 2025
Engine
Filed May 17, 2024

I am writing about this incident after finding out about the lawsuit filed against Mercedes concerning problems with the balance shaft, the soft metal they used in production, and the COMMON engine codes (P0016 & P0017). I am [XXX] and I was on the highway with my girlfriend going around 75mph and I smelled a burning smell and thought it might’ve been the truck/one of the cars in front of me. All of a sudden my power steering was gone and my car basically lost all power. Only the brakes worked. Thank god the other cars were far enough away from me and I didn’t put anyone else in danger. Due to the loss of control I was forced to pull into the breakdown lane on the LEFT side which was so incredibly dangerous since the highway was so busy. I eventually pulled to the right side of the highway when there was enough space and time to do so and opened my hood and saw that my tensioner blew and the serpentine belt came off. I was so angry because the dealer that sold me the car told me the codes were only emission related and did not affect the mechanics of the car. That’s a whole other issue. I am not so very mechanically inclined but after extensive research I’ve found that this code (which was covered up by Mercedes) was most likely the culprit and has been causing me issues throughout my experience with the vehicle. I am a broke college student. Yes, it was stupid to buy a Mercedes, but I was [XXX] and I’ve learned a lot about cars and the industry since then. At the end of the day, despite my stupidity and ignorance, Mercedes should be held responsible for this issue and everyone who has [had incidents similar to myself or have the codes that I have deserve to be reimbursed for all the repairs, time, and danger they have and will eventually put people in. Don't wait for someone to die on the highway before you consider issuing a recall. DO SOMETHING. I shouldn’t have to fear for my life going out in this car to get to work, school, and most importantly, my family. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF I

NHTSA ID
11589331
Incident
Aug 24, 2023
SteeringSuspension
Filed Mar 29, 2024

I first noticed an issue with the alignment. The vehicle would always pull to the left. After 3 different alignment procedures, it remind the same. I started noticing a clunking sound when I would brake. While driving I hit a moderate pothole and the car lurched side to side, causing me to lose control. It was fortunate that I was on a surface street, and that I was only traveling about 35 mph. I almost struck the vehicle next to me, but my quick reflex prevented it. I limped the car, going 15-20 mph with hazards on, to my mechanic. He called me the next day informing me that I had a complete rear subframe failure. I researched and found that Mercedes, had extended the warranty on all models of the same year but my model was not included. Numerous mercedes of the same year and model are having the same issue. This is an EXTREMELY and dangerous issue that Mercedes need to address. Others my not be so fortunate as I was to have been on a surface road under speed. I would not have been able to control the vehicle had I been traveling at highway speed.

NHTSA ID
11580065
Incident
Mar 16, 2024
Fuel system
Filed Dec 2, 2023

Everytime I fill the gas tank I smell gas strongly I paid out of pocket to have the fuel pump done the gas cap the purge valve and I’m still getting a check engine light for a evap leak and still smelling gas from inside and outside the car I also have a rattle noise comeing from inside the gas tank u can take the gas cap off and heat it inside the gas tank from outside and inside the car it’s a constant knocking noise inside the gas tank I replaced everything and their is still a knock noise and fuel smell I have proof receipts from Merceds dealer of all work I did and I have videos of the noise I can’t afford a new gas tank I bought the car in Connecticut with a 2 year extended warranty the warranty place won’t cover a new gas tank I saw their were recalls for gas smells on other models same year as mine but not the c class a lot of other people I noticed on google have had this same knocking noise and fuel smell the car only has 70 thousand miles on it I can’t afford 5 grand for a new gas tank and labor espically after I already paid for all this stuff and already had this problem diagnosed but yet everytime I get my car back it’s never fixed but they tell me it’s fixed they have my car for months at a time and never give it back to me fixed I’m always paying for rental cars because of this they won’t supply me with a loaner please put a recall in for these fuel tanks 2007 c280 4 matic only has 70 thousand miles I bought it 4 months ago and no one will fix this properly for me when they have diagnosed this problem multiple times the rattle is the baffles in the fuel tank they keep working their way around it and keep telling me it’s other things just to get my money instead of properly diagnosing it I’m just sick of geting my car back saying it’s fixed when it’s not out of the 4 months I’ve had this car it has Ben in my possession for maybe one of them the other 3 months it’s Ben in and out the shop for the same problem please recall these tanks car has low miles

NHTSA ID
11558138
Incident
Aug 16, 2023
Airbags
Filed Sep 22, 2023
Crash reported2 injuries reported

On 9/18/23 we were hit head on by a person driving a large ford. The air bags deployed on my CClass. I was unable to see after the accident. My nose is huge! Face is bruised. I had severe eye pain. Neck pain etc. There was chrome on the floor after the deployment. Major concern what was in this airbag. However, I’m sure it saved my life. My car is totaled. It was a fabulous car. We had scheduled a sunroof recall next week at Mercedes in New London, CT. I learned of this recall after my car recently past emissions. My car only had 39,000 miles. I’m going to miss it.

NHTSA ID
11546115
Incident
Sep 18, 2023
Powertrain (other)
Filed Dec 20, 2022

Engine Control Unit failed during warranty after replacement by the Mercedes Benz Dealership. The ECU causes stumbling and cutting out of engine in traffic while driving which can cause an accident putting my self, wife and others at risk. I took the car to the dealership and showed them the stored code of 1596 “The engine off time has an implausible value” (P1026) on the Mercedes Benz Xentry DAS software. Yes: the dealer inspected the car and did a diagnostic. The code was cleared and the dealer claimed there was no code. A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT was present when the problem started approximately 23 months after the ECU was replaced be the dealer with a two year advertised and communicated warranty.

NHTSA ID
11498284
Incident
Nov 2, 2022
Visibility
Filed Apr 15, 2022

The contact owns a 2007 Mercedes-Benz C280. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, there was a loud sound coming from the vehicle. The contact pulled over safely and noticed that the sunroof had shattered. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer but was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure; however, no assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 85,500.

NHTSA ID
11460945
Incident
Apr 5, 2022
Mileage
85,500 mi
Other / unspecifiedPowertrain (other)Steering
Filed Jan 12, 2022

I was pulling out of my driveway when all of a sudden, the car came to a screeching halt and would not move. I was stuck diagonally in the middle of the road. When I called AAA for a tow they said it looked like the passenger front ball joint failed. Upon inspection, it was found that the ball joint failed and the tie rod, lower control arm, and strut all broke as a result. The axel was also ripped out when the control arm failed. All of these things needed to be replaced. I can only image what would have happened if I had been traveling on a main road or highway at a higher rate of speed. But to have a catastrophic failure like this happen was completely unexpected, especially after having brand new tires and an alignment completed only one week earlier. Ultimately, I am unsure if this was due to an error on the tire shop's part with the alignment they did or a Mercedes general quality issue. Either way, my vehicle is inoperable and I'm faced with a $1,700 bill for what should potentially be a recall. To know that another one could fail at any time at any speed with no warning is deeply unsettling and I will be getting rid of the car as soon as possible, likely never buying a Mercedes again.

NHTSA ID
11447255
Incident
Jan 3, 2022
Visibility
Filed Jun 2, 2021

The contact owns a 2007 Mercedes-Benz C 280. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V918000 (VISIBILITY) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID
11419327
Incident
Dec 18, 2019
Engine
Filed May 8, 2021

MY CAR RAN HOT AND EVERYTHING ON THE INSIDE BEGAN TO FLICKER. I PULLED OVER AND TURNED THE CAR OFF TO LET IT COOL. WHEN I TURNED IT BACK ON THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON WITH THE EMFAMOUS P0016 AND P0017 CODES AD I LATER FOUND OUT AND IT HAS NOT RUN THW SAME SINCE. IF DRAGS, SHIFTS INCORRECTLY, AND PULLS WRONG NOW.

NHTSA ID
11415688
Incident
May 1, 2021
Mileage
110,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Apr 15, 2021

SEVERAL TIMES I'VE FILLED MY GAS TANK I GOT A STRONG SMELL OF GAS BEFORE ENTERING MY VEHICLE. I HAD THEN MADE SURE NOT TO FILL THE TANK UP DUE TO THIS LEAKAGE. I BELIEVE ITS VERY DANGEROUS. THE SMELL DOESN'T GO AWAY UNTIL I DRIVE THE CAR FOR SEVERAL DAYS.

NHTSA ID
11408210
Incident
May 15, 2019
Mileage
156,500 mi
AirbagsBody & structure
Filed Nov 23, 2020

I AM STILL WAITING FOR A RECALL TO BE COMPLETED.

NHTSA ID
11375853
Incident
Dec 28, 2019
Interior & seatsVisibility
Filed Jul 13, 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MERCEDES BENZ C280. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V918000 (VISIBILITY) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. MERCEDES BENZ OF ATLANTIC CITY (6623 E BLACK HORSE PIKE, EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, NJ 08234) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND CONFIRMED THAT PARTS WERE NOT YET AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE LISTED IN THE RECALL. ADDITIONALLY, THE INTERIOR ROOF LINER WAS DAMAGED AND BECAME DETACHED DUE TO EXCESSIVE WATER POURING INTO THE VEHICLE. THE FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT RAIL WAS RUSTED DUE TO THE WATER CAUSING SEAT ADJUSTABILITY ISSUES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. *JS

NHTSA ID
11339013
Incident
Jul 13, 2018
Mileage
100,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Mar 2, 2020

WHEN RESEARCHING MY PROBLEM I FOUND THIS TK HE A COMMON PROBLEM. IF I FILL MY GAS TANK IT LEAKS GAS. THE CABIN OF CAR IS FLOODED WITH FUMES. SO MANY WITH SAME CAR HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS.

NHTSA ID
11315703
Incident
Jul 9, 2019
Engine
Filed Jan 20, 2020

HVAC MOLD SMELL , THE CAR SMELLS LIKE ($#!*) WHENEVER I USE AC OR HEAT . TRIED LIKE CHANGING 10'S OF CABIN FILTER ,BUT THAT SMELL MAKES ME SICK ALL THE TIME. CHECKED WITH ALL THE MECHANICS ,THEY ONLY SAY ITS A MANUFACTURER ISSUE.

NHTSA ID
11300436
Incident
Nov 16, 2019
Mileage
112,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jan 6, 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MERCEDES-BENZ C280W4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V918000 (VISIBILITY). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. MERCEDES-BENZ SOUTHAMPTON (575 COUNTY RD 39 S, SOUTHAMPTON, NY 11968) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
11297345
Incident
Jan 6, 2020
Fuel system
Filed Nov 18, 2019

WHEN THE FUEL TANK IS FILLED THERE IS A STRONG GAS ORDER COMING FROM THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID
11280883
Incident
Aug 23, 2019
Mileage
191,034 mi
EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed May 21, 2019

P0022 CAMSHAFT BALANCER DEFECT, SUBJECT TO PRIOR CLASS ACTION, I AM HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM! WISH TO BECOME A PART OF THAT PRIOR SETTLED CLASS ACTION OR PURSUE MY OWN ACTION FOR DEFECTIVE PARTS

NHTSA ID
11208976
Incident
May 20, 2019
Fuel system
Filed May 16, 2019

WE JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR. AFTER I FILLED IT UP, THERE IS STRONG GASOLINE SMELL IN THE GARAGE. PARKED THE CAR OUTSIDE AND IT STILL HAS SMELL. IS THIS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MERCEDES BENZ C280? UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, THERE WAS EXTENDED WARRANTY FROM MERCEDES TO COVER E CLASS AND CLS CLASS FUEL ODOR ONLY. WHAT ABOUT THE C CLASS CARS? DON'T BELIEVE THIS IS THE WAY THE CAR SHOULD BE PERFORMING. BY THE WAY, THE CAR IS 2007 WITH 102K MILES. I BELIEVE MERCEDES SHOULD ALSO COVER C CLASS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM,

NHTSA ID
11207992
Incident
May 15, 2019
Interior & seats
Filed Mar 28, 2019

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK WHEN I SMELLED HEAVY BURNING AND MY SEAT BECAME EXTREMELY HOT. I TURNED OFF THE SEAT WARMER WHICH AT THE TIME WAS ON MEDIUM SETTING AND SINCE I COULD NOT STOP SAFELY, I CONTINUED TO DRIVE UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO STOP. I THEN CHECKED MY SEAT AND THATS WHEN I SAW THE HEATER HAD BURNT A HOLE THROUGH THE SEAT AND ALSO BURNT MY SWEATER. I HAVE SINCE THEN LEARNT THERE IS A LAWSUIT ON OTHER SAME YEAR MODELS BY THE SAME MANUFACTURER AND HOPE MY INCIDENT WILL RAISE AWARENESS THAT THIS MIGHT BE AN ISSUE THAT TOUCHES MORE MODELS THAN MENTIONED IN THE LAWSUIT

NHTSA ID
11192106
Incident
Mar 28, 2019
Mileage
160,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed May 8, 2018

VERY STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE FILLS THE GARAGE AND HOUSE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED INSIDE AFTER FUELING TO FULL TANK. THE GASOLINE ODOR IS SO STRONG THAT I FEEL IT IS UNSAFE TO PARK THE VEHICLE IN THE GARAGE BECAUSE OF THE FUMES, AND THE POTENTIAL FOR FIRE

NHTSA ID
11092403
Incident
Apr 10, 2018
Mileage
78,250 mi

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